What is Mod? Mr. Suave's Mod, Mod World is one of the web's original modcasts celebrating mod music, and mod-influenced music from past eras including soul, ska, garage, sixties R&B power pop, punk, britpop, acid jazz, lounge, easy listening and more.

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January 2, 2009

Soulful, suave and sensuous. That is Swing Out Sister. As smooth now as they were on their debut LP 21 years ago. Launched by Andy Connell and Martin Jackson, the band took shape when they hired a fashion designer who'd never sung professionally to be the voice of the group. Corinne Drewery immediately become not just the voice, but the face and the passion of Swing Out Sister as well. Jackson left after just one release, but Connell and Drewery have produced eight more albums, most of which are fantastic.

The latest release is 2008's Beautiful Mess, and I have to say it's aptly titled. They've strayed farther from their soulful, easy, sixties pop sound than ever before, making the disk a bit uneven at times. The album exhibits more of a seventies feel than the band has previously, and also has the touches and flourishes that were common on later albums by The Style Council. As the title suggests it is still well worth listening too, and delivers the goods nicely. This track, Something Everyday captures the quintessential SOS sound.